A Mountain Home woman who was arrested earlier this month after allegedly stealing a car and leading law enforcement on a brief pursuit was in Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday. She claimed she has had a stroke and could not remember the events leading to her arrest.
Thirty-year-old Celeste Elizabeth Virga entered a not guilty plea and said she intended to obtain the services of a private attorney. She was ordered to reappear in circuit court Sept. 5.
The incident began when a man called police and told them he was following his vehicle, which he had reported stolen earlier in the day and gave authorities his location.
It was determined someone had entered the victim’s house and taken a set of keys to the 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe from a nightstand in the master bedroom.
A Baxter County deputy sheriff spotted the vehicle being driven at a high rate of speed on U.S. Highway 62B in Mountain Home. The deputy gave chase, but the vehicle did not stop and began passing vehicles using the middle turn lanes on the highway.
The vehicle chase continued until Virga turned up a dead end street. She was reported to have bolted from the vehicle and began running with the deputy sheriff in pursuit.
After a short distance, Virga stopped and surrendered.
During a search of the vehicle, officers found a vape pen containing suspected THC. THC is the main psychoactive compound in marijuana. Virga confirmed the contents and said she had used the pen prior to the pursuit.
She faces a number of traffic violations stemming from the chase — including driving while intoxicated — as well as fleeing, residential burglary and theft of property related to the alleged entry into the victim’s home to obtain the keys to the vehicle she is reported to have taken.
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